Professor Donovan Campbell, a distinguished member of the Department of Geography and Geology within the Faculty of Science and Technology at The University of the West Indies, Mona has been appointed to the Decade Advisory Board. This advisory body supports UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC), guiding the implementation of the Ocean Decade, a crucial initiative aimed at reversing the decline of the ocean system and fostering sustainable development.

Professor Campbell’s selection acknowledges his remarkable contributions and expertise in environmental geography. His role on the board will involve offering strategic advice on Decade implementation, endorsing programmes, evaluating the performance of Ocean Decade Actions, and assessing resource needs. Additionally, Professor Campbell will play a pivotal role in enhancing awareness and securing support for the Ocean Decade’s mission.

Upon accepting the appointment, Professor Campbell expressed his gratitude stating:  “I am honoured and grateful for this appointment. In this decisive decade, we are called upon to intensify climate action and mainstream sustainability thinking and planetary economics into all that we do, as we imagine the future we want into existence. This appointment represents a significant opportunity to contribute to the advancement of ocean science for sustainable development, particularly the unique challenges and solutions pertinent to Small Island Developing States (SIDS)”

Professor Michael Taylor, Dean of the Faculty of Science and Technology, lauded Professor Campbell’s appointment stating, “The excellence of Prof. Campbell’s scholarship coupled with his passion for ensuring that small islands have a voice in global sustainability discussions, will ensure that the region is well served through this appointment. The University continues to be very proud of Prof. Campbell’s advocacy and achievements.”

The Decade Advisory Board comprises 15 experts from diverse sectors including government, the private sector, philanthropy, civil society, and the scientific community, chosen for their exceptional skills and dedication to advancing ocean science. These members, hailing from over a dozen countries, will serve from 2024 to 2025 in their individual capacities.

The UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030), proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in 2017, aspires to galvanize ocean science and knowledge to catalyse opportunities for the sustainable development of marine ecosystems. Under the theme ‘The science we need for the ocean we want’, the initiative offers a collaborative framework for stakeholders to advance ocean science for a sustainable future.

The UWI, Mona, celebrates Professor Campbell’s achievement.